


Stealing the Rich

by Just_Roman_Around



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, Lesbians in Space, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-28
Updated: 2019-08-05
Packaged: 2019-11-07 05:41:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17954645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Just_Roman_Around/pseuds/Just_Roman_Around
Summary: The galaxy is divided into Segments, with the Atlas Empire ruling over the majority of it. The Vale Expanse though, is where people can be free. Yang leads the Sun Dragoons and steals from the rich to give to the poor. Somehow along the way, she ended up stealing the rich themselves.





	1. Paradise Rent Asunder

Winter's heels echoed down the halls of _The Nevermore_ as she made her way towards the bridge of the colossal battleship. She kept her hands clasped behind her back, her face a perfectly neutral as she marshalled her emotions. Passing various crewmen seeing to mundane, yet important tasks, she paid them little heed. Each saluted her as they passed, their closed fist slamming into their chest above their heart, before resuming their duties.

 

Winter thought back to the time she had been in their shoes, saluting to superior officers that didn't even know she existed as they passed. She remembered how hard she had fought in ship to ship battles to prove her worth of climbing up the chain of command. Of how she checked and tripled check every task given to her, for one mistake was the difference between promotion or floating lifeless in the void of space.

 

Pausing in the middle of a walkway, she unclasped her hands to rest them against the rails as she looked down into the hanger bay. _The Nevermore's_ crew was hard at work. Overseeing the final checks and testing, Chief Engineer Coal stalked the bay, pausing to make notes on a data-slate and chastise a new recruit's mistake. Winter could just make out the conversation he was having with Lead Equipment and Vehicle Engineer Katt from her vantage point. Coal let out a whistle as the last of the new fighters were loaded onto the ship. “Damn, those Schnee's certainly know how to make a sleek design.”

 

Winter turned her attention to the new fighter ships that were forced upon her, grimacing slightly. They were stream lined and coated in a layer of white with a snowy blue tint, as was ever common with the Schnee Dust Corporation's designs and uniforms. She turned her attention back down to her officers as she heard Katt's excitable voice. “Are you kidding Flynt! These are more than sleek, they're sublime. Oh, they barely weigh anything, are rumoured to be fast even in the void, and are packed with experimental dust weaponry. And do you know what's the best part?”

 

Officer Coal took a step backward holding up his hands in a calming gesture with a smile on his face. “No, but you're about to tell me.”

 

“WE GET TO TEST THEM OUT!” Katt jumped high into the air in excitement, laughing as she rushed off to see to their loading and system checks personally. Winter's grimace turned into a slight smile at see her officer's apparent joy at the prospect of new technology to test and learn. Shaking her head, she resumed her path. She passed many more faces and junior officers on her way, each giving her the Atlesian Salute. She responded to most with a curt nod.

 

Within the hour she finally stepped through the doorway leading into the command centre, the central nervous system of _The Nevermore._ As soon as she stepped through the door she heard the voice of her CCO cutting through the hum of machines and crew. “Captain on deck!” Every soul stood to attention, and with a nod from Winter, each resumed their duties in preparing the battleship for launch. Stepping onto the raised dais from which she could see the entire bridge, she slowly sank down onto the throne. Leaning back and closing her eyes, she heard the footsteps stop next to her as her CCO took their place by her side. “So Captain, what arse end of the galaxy are we being sent to this time?”

 

She responded with a tired sigh, slowly opening her eyes to look out across the bridge, and out the glass at the stars. “We're to patrol the border between the Mistrali Sector and the Vale Expanse.”

 

“The Expanse? Didn't the SDC call it a waste of expenses? Why are we being sent there?”

 

“Because, Miss Sustrai, there have been increased raids into our territory from the expanse. One of them stole some experimental technology, and it's our job to hunt them down and get it back.”

 

Emerald let out a small laugh. Winter looked at her with a raised an eyebrow, catching her trying to cover up the laugh by coughing into her fist. “We don't get given the easy assignments do we?”

 

“Not as long as it's my father calling the shots.”

 

“Do we even have a name of who we're to hunt?”

 

Winter shook her head, drumming her fingers on the arm of the throne. “All we have to go on is a boisterous laugh and long golden hair. They were unable to even get the name of the ship.”

 

“Well, we've had worse assignments. Should be more fun than the last one right?”

 

“Here I thought you enjoyed our time on Xurus Secondus.” Winter allowed a small smile on her face.

 

“If I never see those green skies again, or another Megapede it'll be too soon.” The Chief Command Officer shivered in disgust at the recollection of the monstrosity, and the feeling of being crushed in it's mandibles.

 

“Thankfully no Megapede’s this time. Just pirates.”

 

Emerald nodded, and looked at the data-slate in her hand. She fell silent as she swiped through a few reports, managing the other officers spread throughout the ship. “We're almost set. Coal just finished down in the Hanger, and security is running a final sweep.”

 

“Good. The sooner we're away the better.”

 

“Any news on your sister?”

 

Winter gently shook her head. “Father sent her out to oversee a financial mission. And we both know what that means. Too many questions, or too much rebellion from her.”

 

“Maybe we could...pick her up from the mission?”

 

“If we happen to run across _The Silent Breeze_ I'll consider it. For now, let us be away. Give the order Miss Sustrai.”

 

“By your command, Captain.” She typed a quick message into the data-slate, sending it off before calling out to the bride. In accordance to their new orders it erupted into controlled chaos. _The Nevermore_ detached from the orbital docking, side thrusters burning hot as they pushed the ship away from the station. When they fell silent the main engine flared up. As the battleship slowly pulled away from Outpost Mandolin, crowds gathered at the view ports to watch it sail into the void. A bright flare of blue light signalled the jump engines kicking in, and the regal ship vanished without a trace.  

 

\-------------------------------------------

 

Weiss was little better than a prisoner aboard _The Silent Breeze._ Kept in isolation and confined to her quarters throughout the voyage, she huffed in frustration as she threw her personal data-slate onto the bed. The room would be considered nice under normal circumstances, connected to a personal bathroom and even a small kitchen, she had everything she needed except freedom. Ostensibly, she was there to be the lead negotiator between the Schnee Dust Corporation and the rising Argus Augmentics. In reality, she was being sent as far away from home as her father could. She had started asking to many questions about the ethics behind his company, and how much influence he had in the Atlas Empire. What had followed was a shouting match and similar confinement to her room in the mansion.

 

The next day she was shoved onto the cruiser and sent off into the void. Now, on her third week into the voyage, she was losing any semblance of patience. Pacing around the confines of the room, she began to plot her escape. Every few hours a guard checked on her, making sure she had everything she needed. The guard had been kind so far. If she played the cards right she might be able to convince him to let her out. The only other possibility was to knock him out. She looked around her quarters and felt her heart sink. Nothing was large or strong enough to knock someone out, the largest item she could use was a wooden spoon.

 

Sitting down on her bed, she picked back up the data-slate and passed the time waiting for the guard's visit by going through the mission briefing. Argus Augmentics had started off just designing prosthetics, but had recently been developing further enhancements that could be installed into the body. So far they had been designed to aid civilian life, such as adding cybernetics into the brain to aide with learning new languages or skills, upgraded prosthetics that could swap between different tools, and new eyes for the blind. Now they had begun research in weaponizing these augmentations and experimenting with Dust, which had drawn the eye of the SDC. A prototype had already been developed in union between the two, but had been stolen by pirates.

 

Weiss frowned at this, trying to find out more about the prototype, but those files were locked to her. With another huff of annoyance she threw the slate onto the bed next to her again, just as a knock sounded on the door. “Miss Schnee, permission to enter?” The guard had arrived just on time.

 

“Of course, please enter Mr. Arc.”

 

The door slid open, revealing the blonde guard on the other side. He held a kind smile as he brought in a tray of tea, placing it down on the coffee table. “Good Day Miss Weiss. We're still a few days out from our destination.”

 

“You've been saying that for the last week, Mr. Arc. I no longer believe it.”

 

“Really Miss, it won't be much longer until we reach Argus.”

 

“And once we're there, how much longer must I wait in here before I'm allowed out?” She glared angrily, before letting out a soft sigh and tried adopting a softer smile. “Please, Mr. Arc. All I want is to see something other than the inside of this room.”

 

“You know I can't do that. It's against the rules...”

 

“What trouble am I going to get up to? I just want to stretch my legs.”

 

“Miss...”

 

“What if you were to accompany me? I couldn't get into any trouble with such a strong guard looking after me.” The guard felt his cheeks redden slightly, though her stood straighter at the complimentary comments.

 

“Well...I suppose a little walk down the view-port corridor couldn't hurt...if you were under guard.”

 

“Thank you Mr. Arc. I promise to behave myself.” Weiss stood up and moved to the door, waiting for the guard to follow. He took a minute to look at the tea, sadden that the effort had gone to waste, then shrugged and escorted Weiss out of the room. The two walked in silence. Weiss was enjoying her newfound, temporary, freedom from the room. A plan began to formulate in her mind on how to change it from temporary to permanent. “Thank you, for letting me stretch my legs, Mr. Arc.”

 

“Please, my name is Jaune.”

 

“Well, Jaune, I am sorry about this.” Before he could question what she meant, she grabbed hold of his arm and shoved him into a open maintenance closet. “I have no intention of making it to Argus. I'll not be bound by my Father any longer.” Jaune stumbled back to his feet and tried to run back out, but the door slid shut blocking him, sealing him inside.

 

Fumbling for his communicator, he opened up a channel to the entirety of the ship. “This is Jaune Arc, Weiss Schnee is attempting to escape! Last seen heading towards the View ports!” Weiss swore under her breath and took off running, veering left down a side corridor. She hoped desperately that the ships security would head the wrong direction, and she could make it to the escape pods before she was found. An alarm started blaring and she could hear the sound of boots running down hallways. She slid to a stop, and ducked into a open room as three guards ran past, oblivious to her location. Waiting a few moments, she held her breath, before once more running down the hallway towards her freedom.

 

Just as hope flared in her upon seeing the escape pods, a hand grabbed the back of her coat. The fabric ripped, and she was tripped onto the floor. Looking up, she was greeted by a malicious grin and grey eyes. “Well well, looks like I found the escaped song bird.” She scrambled to her knees and tried to crawl away, but two more guards blocked the path to the pods. “Inform the captain that I'll be bringing Miss Schnee to the bridge.”

 

“Yes Sir!” One of the guards saluted and ran off, while Weiss was roughly picked up off the floor and dragged away from the pods. She struggled to the best of her ability, but her captors just tightened their grips on her arms. Dragged throughout the ship she passed uncaring faces, focused on their own jobs and caring not for her plight. It took half an hour, but eventually she was thrown before the dais of _The Silent Breeze's_ Captain.

 

“What do we have here, Mr. Black?” The captain was a large, heavyset man, the uniform barely still able to fit him as he lounged in his throne. Fat fingers were choked with rings, which drummed on the arm of his seat as his cruel eyes looked down at Weiss. She felt small in that moment, and when the captain licked his lips she felt more like a piece of meat before the monstrosity rather than a fellow human.

 

“The little Princess here got it in her head to try to escape. Found her trying to climb into a escape pod.”

 

“Is that so?” The throne creaked and groaned as the captain lent forward, appraising Weiss. “That's no good. How do we get paid if we don't deliver her to Argus hmm?”

 

Weiss frowned, and felt her blood go cold. “D-deliver?”

 

“Oh, didn't Daddy tell you? Did you think you were here to negotiate a deal?” The captain's smile grew sadistic as he carried on. “Oh no little princess. You are the deal. I heard they were going to use you to test out their new cybernetics. Turn you into the perfect little soldier. Or, perhaps a toy? I wonder how much people would pay for you hmm?”

 

Weiss looked at the captain with undisguised disgust, and attempted to move away. She was stopped by the foot of Mercury Black, the commander of security. “Now now, Captain Gole. We're meant to deliver her in the state she's in. I have strict orders to stop anyone from doing anything...untoward.”

 

The captain opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a bright flash filtering through the viewport from the void. “What in the Maiden's name was that!” Everyone has shielded their eyes, and when they finally looked they found their ship face to face with a battle cruiser. It hung their in space silently, before two more bright flashes erupted from its front. _The Silent Breeze_ shuddered as two lasers pierced it, carving out huge segments. The sirens resumed their warning cry and the bridge erupted into chaos. “Shit! Get us out of here!”

 

 _The Silent Breeze's_ side thrusters began to burn hot, trying to turn the cruiser towards freedom. It was a futile endeavour as the two lances of light shot forth again, carving out the main engines and leaving it dead in the void. Pandemonium reigned aboard, during which Weiss was almost forgotten. She contemplated taking the chance to flee to the escape pods, but guards still stood at the doors into the bridge. Mercury had disappeared during the turmoil, and Captain Gole was yelling at his crew. Fear was evident on his face, hands turning white from the force used to grip his chair. Fires had spread across the lower decks of the ship, and debris was sucked out into the vacuum through the holes caused by the battle cruiser's attack. Once more the two lances shot forth, and _The Silent Breeze_ was robbed of even it's thrusters. Weiss looked out the the glass to see several smaller ships launch from the metal behemoth. Each one was headed towards different parts of the ship. Most angled towards where the cargo was stored, but one was headed directly towards the bridge. The Captain noticed it as well, and began to panic. “Close the Blast Shields! Close them now!”

 

Metal shutters started to slowly crawl over the glass, but the order was given too late. The vessel crashed right through the glass, sealing the hole with it's own size. Several crewman were crushed beneath in, and Weiss could see that the vessel was a escape pod modified for boarding actions rather than escaping. The hatch slowly opened up, filling the bridge with steam and smoke as three figures emerged. The central figure wore a brown duster with the right arm tied up. Long golden locks fell down her back, and her remaining hand rested on the grip of a pistol still in it's holster. To her right and left were two Faunus's, One with raven black hair, the other with light brown. They each held a rifle stolen from the Atlas Military which were pointed at the remaining guards on the bridge. “Good Day Ladies and Gentlemen! I hope we find you in good health and in a wealthy enough disposition to help those down on their luck!” The blonde radiated a confident energy that cowed most of the crew, and even the guards sank to their knees with their hands on the back of their heads.

 

The Captain, however, was to furious to realise the danger he was in. “We'll do no bartering with filthy pirates like you!” He slowly stood to his feet and pulled out a pistol, aiming right at the pirate's leader. “How dare you attack my ship! Do you know who I am!”

 

“Captain Gole Retriever. Lap dog for Jacques Schnee, doing supply runs and overseeing the man's more...illicit activities. Such as collecting slaves, black mail, extortion, and much much more.” The cat faunus smirked as she spoke, moving the rifle to aim at the Captain. “Yes, we know who you are. But do you know who we are?”

 

Gole turned white as his crimes were laid before him in such a factly manner, and he reappraised the situation. He could feel the eyes of his newer crew looking at him in disgust. “What does it matter who you are!”

 

“Captain...that's the _New Dawn_ out there...They're the Sun Dragoons.” One of his guards chipped in from the side. He was shot a disgusted look from Gole, before what he said was processed.

 

“Oh, I see at least some of you know us. Let me introduce myself. I am Yang, leader of the Sun Dragoons. And one way or another we will be leaving with your goods and money. Question is, will you make it easy for us?”

 

Weiss was yanked to her feet with a yelp, and held in front of Gole towards Yang. “L-look, I was just following orders, alright? I don't want no trouble, and I'm not willing to die for Jacques. Just, take her. We were meant to deliver her for experimentation. Take her and any cargo we have, just leave my money.”

 

The two Faunus looked at each other in the back, eyebrows raised. Their leader however looked shell shocked, before straining to smile. “Interesting proposition you've made there. Why don't you let me have a look at that pretty creature?”

 

Weiss was pushed forward towards Yang unceremoniously, nearly tripping. She was caught by Yang, and made to stand straight. “Please...help me.” Yang raised an eyebrow at Weiss's plea, before winking at her and turning back to Gole.

 

“Alright, we'll take the lass. But there's one addendum to your offer.”

 

“What's tha-” He never got to finish his question as Yang pulled her gun from it's holster and blasted a hole in the man's chest. Weiss screamed in shock, covering her ears at the noise. Yang placed the weapon away, and gently took Weiss's hand, leading her to the boarding pod. As they climbed back up, the rabbit Faunus gently lead her into the vessel and sat her down. Yang stood by the entrance and called out.

 

“Anyone who had no idea of Gole's crimes, and wants a second chance at life, this is your one and only chance. Join us, come with me and learn what it means to be free. Or stay here, trapped and stranded in the void.” The defeated crew looked at each other, a few stood and tentatively walked up the ramp into the vessel. The rest stood their ground. The blonde shook her head sadly. “You may want to leave the bridge.” With a swirl of her coat she retreated further into her vessel as the door closed behind her. She passed by those who had decided to join her, and paused when she reached Weiss. “You're safe now Miss.”

 

“T-thank you.” Weiss swallowed nervously. “But...where are you taking me?”

  
Yang smiled as the boarding pod pulled away from _The Silent Breeze,_ causing debris and bodies to be pulled out into space. “We're taking you to Beacon, where all men and women are free.”


	2. Dark Awakenings

Weiss watched the others in the boarding pod carefully. The former crew of _The Silent Breeze_ , those that had accepted the pirates’ offer, were sitting far away from her, nervous about the three pirates that stood near her, trying to avoid catching their eye. No doubt some of there were second-guessing their decision, Weiss thought. Not that she could blame them, feeling nervous herself. Throwing their lot in with pirates, especially those as infamous as the Sun Dragoons, was not a choice they could go back on. She felt her heart sink upon realizing that she wouldn't be welcomed back in her home, and then it sank further realizing that home wouldn't have welcomed her back anyway. A bright flash from the void caught her attention.

 

Everyone looked out the hatch viewport. The pirates looked on stoically as the other occupants looked in shock as _The Silent Breeze_ was racked with silent explosions.

 

Yang watched as the trade ship was crippled further by the detonations racing through the interior. She knew that the crew that stayed behind would be safe, gathered into the cargo bay or already shooting off into space in escape pods. Her eyes moved on from the derelict, and onto the other boarding pods, taking count of those that had left, and those that were still extracting themselves. Nodding to herself, she turned away from the view port and pressed her hand to the bio-panel connected to the pilot's door. As it slid open she paused to take a look the shell-shocked woman, frowning.

 

Looking back to her compatriots, she let out a very quiet series of whistles that only the two Faunus could hear. The Rabbit Faunus looked over to her, then to Weiss, nodding in response. Her orders subtly given and received, Yang entered the pilot's cabin, carefully lowering herself down into the co-pilot's seat. The pilot herself was focused on guiding the pod back home, gently nodding to the music stuck in her head. Remaining silent, she offered Yang a quick smile, then focused back on her task. Chuckling to herself, the blonde reached to the control console, opening up a channel between the two ships. “This is Yang aboard the _Steel Parasol,_ to the _New Dawn._ Prepare the welcome mat for new family members and warm up those engines. We're heading back to Beacon.”

 

Static answered her at first while the message was scrambled and sent to her ship. A safety measure designed to ensure that no one they didn't want hearing the message could understand it. A few seconds later the static cleared to allow through a response. “Aye Captain. Was it a good haul this time?” The voice was joyful in its response.

 

“It was certainly...an interesting one.” Yang looked back to the door for a moment, before opening a holographic data-slate, swiping through the reports inside. “Teams Vixen, Phoenix, and Lupine all report the acquisition of more Lien, as well as a few new volunteers. Coco sent a report saying that she found new experimental Schnee blueprints. Tempest found more parts, Siren more food, and I think I may have stolen a Schnee.”

 

More temporary static filled the air as the message transmitted. “I'm sorry, the signal must have glitched. Did you say a Schnee?”

 

“It wasn't a glitch Penny. We found a bona fide Schnee. White hair, blue eyes, everything.”

 

“I thought we didn't deal with hostages.”

 

“We don't Penny, and I don't intend on ever starting.” Yang looked back to the door as she spoke, thinking of the poor girl. “She was a hostage I think? Definitely a bad situation though. She asked me to help.”

 

“Curious.” The voice fell silent as the cabin was filled with static. Yang waited for a response, before the voice cut in again. “I must evaluate this information. I'll open the hanger bay now, and engines will be prepared to jump within twenty minutes.”

 

“Thank you Penny. See you soon.” Clicking off the communicator, Yang leant back into the chair with a sigh, hand unconsciously rubbing her right elbow. She looked down at the injured appendage with a frown, before sighing. The pilot watched her out of the corner of her eye, tilting her head in a questioning manner. Yang smiled softly and shrugged. “I'm fine Neo, still not used to it I guess.” Neo nodded, frowning, but focused on piloting her vessel home.

 

Back in the main cabin, Weiss was slowly withdrawing further into herself, holding herself as she tried to ignore the crushing uncertainty of her future, as well as the former crew of _The Silent Breeze_. She barely even noticed the figure sitting down next to her, only noticing when they placed their coat over her shoulders. The scent of cinnamon hit her nose, and the warmth of the coat helped combat the cold she felt inside. Looking up to find the one responsible, she found herself staring into warm hazel eyes and a soft, kind smile. “T-thank you, Miss...?”

 

“Velvet. Just Velvet, no miss. And don't worry. You're safe now. We'll make sure to look after you and protect you.”

 

Weiss stared deeply into those kind eyes, seeking any sign of deception on the Faunus's part. “Is that a promise you can keep?” She found herself becoming dangerously lost in those eyes, for instead of deception she saw a deep-seated warmth and intelligence. She felt her heart flutter and frowned at the notion.

 

“Of course, I promise you that I won't let anything bad happen to you?”

 

Weiss felt herself relax at the promise, and quietly repeated. “Anything?” Velvet nodded her affirmation, and Weiss let out a sigh of relief. In that moment she felt all the stress and weariness of the past three weeks catch up to her at once. With a yawn her eyes slowly fell shut, even as she was speaking. “g-good. I'll....I'll hold you to that.” her unconscious form slid sideways and into Velvet's arms as the Faunus made sure to catch her. After making sure the the Schnee wasn't in danger, and simply asleep, Velvet looked up at her partner with an amused smile.

 

“Isn't she adorable, Blake?”

 

“Hmm. I won't deny that she is, but we have to be careful, Cinnamon. She is a Schnee after all.”

 

Velvet pouted and looked down at the sleeping woman in her arms, careful to not wake her up or drop her. “But Midnight....I don't think she's like the others. There's a kindness to her. She asked me to protect her.” Blake couldn't help but frown at that, thinking over the possible meanings to such a request, while Velvet continued to look at Weiss, before looking back up to her partner. “Can we keep her?”

 

“She's not a pet, Velvs.”

 

“You know that's not what I meant.” Velvet said in a sing-song voice.

 

Blake sighed with a fond smile and shook her head. “I know, but I'm not sure if so soon after being abducted-”

 

“Saved!”

 

“...Ok, saved, by pirates is such a good idea to invite someone in.” Both fell silent as the door slid open again, Yang standing in the frame. “News, Captain?”

 

“Neo's pulling us in. How's our guest?” She looked over to Velvet and Weiss, quirking an eyebrow. “Asleep I see...and in the arms of Velvet. Is so soon appropriate, when you just met?”

 

Velvet stuck her tongue out at the two of them. “She just passed out, looks like everything caught up with her.” Velvet looked down at her again with a soft frown. “I wonder why she was on that ship. It didn't seem willing.”

 

Yang stood in silence, before sighing and running her hand through her hair. “When we touch down take her someplace safe that she can sleep. I've got to see to the welcoming committee.” Velvet and Blake nodded, with both of them looking at each other in silent communication. Before long Blake let out a quiet, fond sigh.

 

“Fine. We'll keep her in our quarters for the time being. Just until we find her her own.”

 

Static filled the compartment, before being replaced by the voice of Penny. “All boarding pods please proceed to your usual docking stations, and welcome home.” The occupants looked out the viewport and saw _The Silent Breeze_ disappear behind large metal doors. A few seconds later and the vessel jostled lightly as it touched down on the landing deck. With a hiss of steam, the hatch slowly opened, and the occupants slowly and tentatively exited. A few of them gasped in wonder at the size of the hangar, having never set foot aboard a battle cruiser before. Others gasped upon seeing how many crewmen were stationed in this single part of the ship, as well as the rusty metal girders that made up the floor. The voice chimed throughout the hanger bay again. “Hello, and salutations new family members! I know many of you will be confused, but do not fear. Please exit the boarding pods, and our captain will soon address you all!”

 

“Well that's my cue. Look after her you too.” Blake and Velvet nodded, the cat Faunus carefully picking up the unconscious woman and cradling her in her arms. Yang watched the two make their way through the controlled mayhem of her crew working, admiring the way they moved like water over pebbles. Smiling, she made her own way through the crowd of former trade ship crew, and up onto a platform prepared for such occasions. Looking out over them she did a quick head count, making it to be that twenty men and women had accepted the offer to join them. Clearing her throat to get all their attention, she threw her arms open wide in welcome. “Welcome to the _New Dawn_! I hope that in time that some of you will come to think of it as home, and I hope that you do think of it now as a new chance at life.

 

“I know you'll have heard the tales and seen the holo-vids about us, about the Vale expanse. That we're pirates. That we're filthy, backwards, and cruel. That the Atlas government took one look at us and called us a waste of resources. But I'm here to tell you that was a lie. In truth, they ran away. They ran, because we would not bow to them. They ran, because we fought tooth and nail for every world. Are we pirates? Yes! I won't lie to you. But we don't steal from just anyone. We steal from the oppressors. From the SDC, from the Atlesian Military, from the Mistrali Regime.

 

“There are many factions of us, but we, the Sun Dragoons, belong to Beacon, and we have a strict code of rules that we expect you to follow. We are not cruel. We steal, but we do not kill unless necessary or to prevent further cruelty. We steal from the rich, not the poor. Not for profit, but to provide to those who cannot provide to themselves.” She paused for a moment and shrugged slightly with a laugh. “And a little bit a profit. We all need to make Lien right?

 

“But above all, We are free. We are responsible for our own mistakes, and we are family.” She stopped to look out amongst the crowd, still smiling. She took note of the faces. Some seemed already swayed by her words, soft smiles and looks of relief. Others were on the verge of being convinced, but were still suspicious. “But don't just take my word for it. You'll see when we arrive at Beacon. For now though, rest, eat. We'll assign all of you temporary quarters so you can get some sleep.” Jumping down from the platform, she made her way back through the crowd. They parted before her in an effort not to hinder her progress as she made her way to the elevator at the far end of the hanger.

 

 

\-------------------------------------------

 

Weiss slowly woke up, stretching her limbs and yawning. Sitting up in the bed she looked around the unfamiliar room with a frown. It didn't look anything like her room on _The Silent Breeze_. For one it was far more lived-in. Two bookshelves occupied the far wall of the quarters, lined with various novels and histories from what she could see from the bed. Slowly standing up she felt the cold metal of the floor on her feet. Looking for her shoes, she found them carefully placed next to the bed. Slipping them back on she began to properly explore the room she found herself in.

 

She couldn't but help but notice the lingering scent of cinnamon in the air, mingling with the sticks of incense someone had left burning. Continuing to walk around she found where it had been left, an ornate holder sitting on a small counter connected to a small built in kitchen. The kitchen itself was simple and stocked with long-lasting preserved foods, intended to keep the occupants of the quarters fed for long journeys. Moving away from the kitchen area Weiss inspected the books on the shelves, and couldn't help but smile at the disparity between the two. One was full of older books, high fantasy and fairy tales from across the galaxy, as well as a full shelf dedicated to romance novels. The other held cook books, travel guides and photo albums, and a small shelf dedicated to fiction.

 

Turning away she cast a glance over the room again to take in the rest of the surroundings. A mocha-coloured love chair occupied part of the room, facing a large screen that had been set into the wall. Humming to herself Weiss dragged her hand across the back of the chair, feeling the fabric beneath her fingers and looked around the room one final time, noting the two doorways, one near the bed she had just vacated, the other opposite the kitchen. “Whose room am I in?” Pondering aloud, she sat down at the edge of the seat, waiting for an answer to make itself apparent.

 

She didn't have long to wait as one of the doors slid open with a beep, giving Weiss a quick glimpse of the corridor outside before the view was blocked by Velvet entering. “Oh, you're awake! How do you feel?” Velvet rushed inside and sat next to Weiss, taking her hands into her own. Blake followed shortly into the room, but instead made her way over to the kitchen.

 

“Um, I'm feeling fine. How did I get in here? Last I remember...”

 

“You passed out after we talked in the boarding pod. You must have been exhausted.”

 

Weiss frowned and looked at the hands holding hers, trying to remember through the fog of sleep. “I was. I...Father.” Her frown deepened as she almost scowled as the word left her tongue. “He was punishing me.”

 

“Punishing you for what?” Blake asked, looking over to the two women on the chair from the kitchen, still suspicious of the Schnee scion.

 

“I had begun to question his methods... about how he was treating Faunus and his shady business deals. Next thing I knew I was being sent far away...to Argus Augmentics.”

 

“Why there?”

 

Weiss's shoulders dropped as she remembered the taunts of Gole and Mercury. “He was selling me.” She missed the looks of surprise on the two Faunus' faces, and the expressions of horror they gave each other as she continued speaking. “He made me think I was going there to broker a deal. But, I was the deal. Test out new cybernetics on me, I think take away my free will or brainwash me. I don't know. But... I can't ever go home.” Tears welled up in her eyes as reality hit home, and fell silent as she was once again taken into Velvet's arms, and clung on tight as the woman tried to soothe her.

 

“I promised you that I'd protect you. That isn't home anymore. This is, if you want it to be.” Velvet looked up to Blake with a sad look in her eyes, ears twitching in silent communication. Blake nodded, and started to rummage around in one of the lower cabinets, pulling out a tea set. As she prepared to make some tea for the three of them, Velvet gently rubbed Weiss's back soothingly as the young woman silently cried.

 

A few minutes later, Weiss pulled away from the hug, sniffling and rubbing her eyes. “I'm sorry. I shouldn't cry, not for him.”

 

Velvet shook her head in disagreement. “No, you're right to cry. Though he's a monster, he is...was, your father. And he betrayed you.”

 

Weiss looked down at her hands again, clenching them into fists as her sorrow turned into a defiance. “Where am I anyway?”

 

“In our quarters aboard the _New Dawn_.” Blake gently placed a cup of tea into Weiss's hands as she answered, passing another one to Velvet as she opened up a hidden compartment. Pulling out a fold-out chair, she sat down with the other two after getting her own tea. “Being the left and right hands of the captain comes with certain perks.”

 

“Such as the second largest quarters in the ship.” Velvet chimed in with a beaming smile. Weiss couldn't help but smile softly in return, optimism radiating off the Faunus. “We should probably introduce ourselves properly. I'm Velvet Scarlatina, Second Officer of the Sun Dragoons. My partner here is Blake Belladonna, the First Officer.”

 

Weiss gently sipped her tea before responding. “I'm Weiss. I guess, just Weiss now.”

 

“Well, just Weiss. You can stay with us.” Velvet smiled kindly, warmth radiating from her. Blake looked at her partner lovingly, nodding in agreement.

 

A new voice chimed in, from over hidden speakers. “We are now exiting the jump. Would Blake and Velvet please report to the bridge before the next jump.”

 

Blake sighed and took out a small communicator from her pocket. “Yes Penny, we'll be right there.” Clicking it off and placing it back into her pocket, she stood up and placed her mostly full cup of tea down onto a side table. “Please make yourself at home. The shower's through the other door if you need it.”

 

“Thank you. I think I might use it, but I don't have any clothes.”

 

“Borrow some of mine. We should get going Velvs.” Blake smiled kindly at Weiss, gesturing for Velvet to follow as she made her way out of the room. Velvet quickly stood up to join her, waving goodbye to Weiss as she went.

 

As the door slid shut, Weiss looked around the room one final time, before finishing off her tea and going into the bathroom. Inside was a large room with eggshell blue tiling. Smiling at the surprisingly innocent colour choice for pirates, Weiss fully entered the room, undressing as she went. Turning on the water, she waited until it was hot until fully stepping into the shower. Turning her face up into the stream and closing her eyes, she let it cascade over her and wash away her worries. For the first time in perhaps her entire life, she felt safe.

 

The water soothed her bruised body and hurting soul. As she relaxed, she never even felt the intricate swirls that covered her back begin to thrum with energy, casting a soft blue glow.

 

\-------------------------------------------

Deep in the bowels of the _New Dawn_ , something began to stir. Long had it slept in the metal behemoth, hibernating as it waited for its choice meal to make itself known. It knew not the passage of time, for it was far too old and far too alien to consider such concepts. It sniffed the stale air that surrounded it, and growled lowly.

 

Dark red eyes opened up in the darkness, glowing with malice. Food had finally arrived.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The accompanying art piece was done by [Spicy Bon](http://spicybon.tumblr.com/) over at Tumblr! Go shower them with love!


	3. The First Petal

The stars twinkled in the endless void, the celestial bodies light years away from the unoccupied space, though it didn't remain unoccupied for much longer as _The Nevermore_ appeared in a flash of blue light. The engines responsible for such transportation slowly whirred down, immense heat radiating as the engineers in hazmat suits rushed to perform maintenance checks on the complex systems. Officer Flynt Coal watched from his office on the walkway above. Keeping an eye on his crew working he made notes on his data-slate as the information appeared on one of the holographic screens before him. On the other he could see a projection of Winter and Emerald, still on the bridge. “The jump engines are in good nick, and luckily too. Best not take any chances and let them chill before we perform another long-distance jump.”

 

Winter nodded, elbows on the arms of her throne as she rested her chin on her interlocked fingers, leaning forward as she examined the information in front of her. “As always, Officer Coal, I defer to your expert judgement. How long until we can jump again?”

 

“Seeing as this is their first real jump since our fight with _The Sunset Dreams,_ I'd give them the full hour and a half to recover.”

 

Winter nodded again, now leaning back and drumming her fingers. She looked to her Second-in-command out of the side of her eyes. “Thoughts, Sustrai?”

 

“Well Captain, there is a space station nearby in this quadrant.” Emerald swiped through her data-slate, before sending the information to the holo-screens, creating a new holographic projection. It detailed the space station in its entirety as she continued to speak. “It's run by a man named Tukson, with no apparent last name. It stands as a neutral port between the Empire, the Regime, and the Expanse. Could be a good place to farm for intel, as information is another form of payment there.”

 

“Or...perhaps plant a spy into the Expanse.” Winter fell silent as she thought this over, before nodding once again. “Thank you, Mr Coal. Keep up the good work.”

 

“Aye Captain. I'll have a follow-up report sent to you soon.”

 

“Very good. Dismissed.” The Chief Engineer offered a informal salute, and the holo-feed between the three cut off. “Miss Sustrai, would you be so kind as to summon Operative Amitola to the bridge.”

 

“It shall be as you command.” Emerald quickly typed up a message onto her data-slate, and sent it off.

 

Ilia was just stepping out of the shower when her own personal data-slate beeped at her, indicating the message had arrived. With a sigh she did her best to read the message while drying off her hair. With a confused hum she sat down at her desk and quickly typed out her response, stating that she would arrive as soon as she was presentable. With that sent, she quickly brushed out her hair while putting together her uniform, the white and blue of the Schnee Dust Corporation replaced with black and grey. Thoughts raced across her head, wondering why the captain had summoned her in particular, and what it meant for her.

 

As soon as she was dressed she rushed out her door, tying up her hair as she went and ignoring the sound of the last droplet of water falling and hitting the metal beneath her feet. She silently thanked the old gods for the fact that being an operative granted her quarters so close to the bridge, else she would have never made it good time. Within ten minutes she was stood before the throne and her captain, doing her best to keep her Faunus traits under control. “Operative Amitola reporting as summoned, Captain Schnee.”

 

Winter looked up from the information Emerald was showing her on the data-slate, and nodded towards the brunette. “Miss Amitola, welcome. I have an assignment for you.” With Ilia tilting her slightly to side quizzically she carried on. “We will soon be temporarily docking at a trading station. Officially, the reason is to trade for supplies we...forgot...to restock on back at Mandolin. The truth however is that we are dropping you off.”

 

Ilia's brows furrowed as she felt her heart jump in fear. “Ma'am, have I done something wrong?”

 

“On the contrary, you are the one I trust most to get this task done. I need you to infiltrate a crew originating from the Expanse, a pirate crew.”

 

Nodding, feeling relieved that she wasn't being marooned, Ilia thought through the information given so far. “After I have done so?”

 

“Keep a log of their targets, their motives. Find out their movements and where they have been. And when you visit neutral ports, leave a dead drop and send a message to Miss Sustrai.” Winter paused a moment, letting the task sink in. “Are you capable of this task?”

 

Ilia thought for a moment, before looking straight into the piercing blue eyes of her captain, almost losing herself in their intensity. Not trusting herself to use her voice, she nodded and saluted.

 

“Good, I knew I could count on you. Go pack the essentials and change into something less...uniformed. We will be docking in thirty minutes.”

 

Turning on her heel, the Faunus quickly retreated from the bridge. She managed to keep her composure until the door to her quarters slid shut behind her. As soon as it clicked shut the scales on her body turned a bright pink as she softly screamed into her hands. “By Jinn...she's too damn hot and her eyes too pretty for her to be mortal.” After taking a minute to compose herself she began to pack the essentials for her mission. Sorting through her wardrobe she took off her uniform shirt, mumbling to herself. “My bottoms will do in general, as will the boots. But what about the rest?” Humming to herself she placed several items of clothes into her pack, before slipping on a short grey top. Over this she slid on a short black jacket, rolling up the sleeves and zipping it halfway closed. Looking at herself in the mirror she nodded, satisfied. “Now I look more the part and less secret spy.” Smiling, she picked up her pack and began to leave the room, pausing when she saw a framed picture on her desk.

 

Picking it up she couldn't help but smile at the old physical picture within. She was much younger in it, a little girl of 5 years. Holding up her missing tooth young Ilia's eyes were wide and bright, her smile even more so with pure joy. Her arm was wrapped around her best friend, a black-haired cat Faunus who also held up a missing tooth with pride. “I wonder how she's doing.” She ran a hand over the glass pane, smiling wistfully at the way amber and grey eyes shone with youth. Carefully, she placed it into her pack and finally left her room behind and made her way towards the docking port.

 

There she found Emerald waiting for her, leaning against the wall with a confident smirk. “Hey there Freckles, you done being a mess?”

 

“I have no idea what you mean, Mint Leaf.”

 

Emerald let out a laugh and her smirk grew into a full blown smile. “Please. You might have had others convinced, but I know you well enough that you were trying your hardest not to turn bright pink in front of the captain.”

 

“What? No. Pffft. How...how do I know that you weren't going to turn bright pink huh?” Emerald just kept up her smirk, causing Ilia to sigh. “Ok fine. It's not my fault our boss is hot. Did you come all this way just to tease me?”

 

Emerald patted Ilia on the shoulder. “No. That's just a bonus. I came to say be careful. Once you're on that station, you're on your own for quite some time.”

 

“This isn't the first time I've masqueraded as someone else, Em. You know that.”

 

“I can still worry about my closest friend.” Lightly punching Ilia on the arm, she stepped away as the door hissed and slowly slid open. “Well, we're here. Be safe out there Ia. Don't do anything stupid.” Giving the Faunus a quick hug, she stepped away once more and saluted the operative. “Want me to send the captain your undying love?”

 

“Ah ha, ah ha. You're hilarious. Keep my room warm for me.” Shouldering her pack she made her way down the walkway and into Tukson's Station, leaving behind _The Nevermore_ which had served as her home for nearly three years.

 

As the door hissed shut again behind her, she was unable to hear the soft whisper from the CCO. “Wish you'd look at me like that....”

 

\---------------------------------------------

 

Weiss slowly turned off the water, reluctant to finally leave the warmth the shower had provided. With a content sigh she looked around the bathroom, finding black and brown towels folded and hanging off a metal bar. Smiling softly she wrapped the black towel around her body, and the brown around her hair. Slowly stepping out back into the quarters of her saviours, she looked around to see if they had returned yet. Finding herself alone she contemplated waiting for them to return before going rifling in their drawers. Then she realised that would mean either getting back into her old clothes which were coated with dust kicked up when _The Steel Parasol_ crashed into the bridge, or waiting for the two practically naked.

 

The thoughts of getting into dirty clothes was repulsive, and the idea of waiting around naked caused blood to rush to Weiss's cheeks. The two had shown such kindness to her, and she was afraid that doing so would either insult Velvet and Blake, or else send across the wrong message. Determined, she nodded to herself and opened up one of the drawers underneath the bed. It was neatly organised into undergarments, trousers, and shirts. She quickly looked through the items, finding many of them to be black, or otherwise very dark blues and purples. She decided on taking a simple matching pair of underwear from this drawer, placing them on the bed, and opened up the other one. It was organised much the same way, but the colour palette shifted more to lighter colours, focused heavily on warm shades of browns. From here she selected a pair of warm brown sweatpants, and a grey tank top.

 

Slowly getting dressed, she relished the feel of wearing something that gave her such freedom of movement. The last time she had been permitted to wear something like this was during her last sparring match with her sister. Jacques had never approved of Weiss's training normally, but always allowed the two siblings to spar on the rare occasions Winter and Weiss were on the same planet.

 

Stretching her arms out she grunted as she heard her joints click and groan. Looking around once more, confirming that she was still alone, she began to go through a routine to stretch out her body. Closing her eyes she marshalled her breathing, bringing her hands together. As she breathed in she reached up above her head, stretching her arms and ribs in one go. With her breath out she bent over to touch the floor without allowing her knees to bend. She allowed a satisfied smile to grace her features as her palms touched the floor. Next up were her legs. Still barefoot from her shower, she stood on just her left leg as her right went behind her. Using her right hand to help with the exercise, she brought her right foot to her back, before lowering her leg and repeating with the left.

 

She continued these stretching exercises for a while longer, feeling herself regain control of both her body and mind. When she opened up her eyes again she jumped slightly, seeing Blake leaning against the open door frame. “I'm impressed. Here I thought the Schnees were uptight.”

 

“H-how long were you standing there?”

 

“From about halfway through your exercises.” Blake smiled kindly as she entered the room fully, the door closing behind her.

 

“And you didn't say anything?”

 

“And miss seeing how flexible you are? No thanks.” Blake's smile turned into more of a smirk as she walked over to the small kitchen. “Besides, you looked like you were lost in the moment.”

 

Weiss tilted her head up indignantly, then let out a sigh and looked to the floor next to her. “Thank you...for saving me. And letting me borrow your clothes.”

 

Blake took this moment to glance over Weiss's form, followed by a second longer look over, appreciating the way the shorter woman looked in her partner's workout clothes. “It's...no problem. You look good in Velvet's clothes, they suit you.” Blake's eye drifted to the subtle musculature of Weiss's arms and shoulders. “Much, much better than that fancy dress did.”

 

“Thank you.” Weiss looked over her own form, smiling slightly. “It's been so long since I was able to wear anything so...freeing.”

 

Blake took a small sip from her glass of water, still appreciating the other woman's form. “So, Weiss, what are you planning to do once we reach Beacon?” She paused when the runaway heiress looked at her in confusion. Smiling kindly she poured another glass of water and held it out to Weiss. “Beacon's a place where everyone can be free. If you want, you could get a shuttle to any planet within the Expanse, start a new hidden life. Or perhaps you hunger for adventure and want to join a crew.”

 

“A crew like yours?” Weiss took the glass and sipped its contents, before nearly draining it in one go after realising how long it had been since she had drunk anything.

 

“Well, we certainly wouldn't say no, provided you can pull your weight.”

 

Weiss simply smiled, looking down at one of her open palms. “Pull my weight? I think I could do that. After all I need to repay yo-” She stopped suddenly as she felt a wave of maliciousness and dread ripple out from an unknown source, her eyes going wide. “Something's wrong.”

 

Blake looked at her in confusion. “What do you mean?”

 

Before she could receive an explanation a klaxon started wailing and Penny's voice filtered through the coms system. “Warning, hostile extraterrestrial life form on board. Scans indicate the lost sector as the origin point. Potential Grimm incursion.”

 

“What in the name of Jinn...” Blake looked shocked, turning to face Weiss once more with a question on her lips, but found the shorter woman halfway out the door, racing off towards the danger. “Wait, Weiss!” She quickly followed suit, trying to catch up with the impossible pace Weiss was moving.

 

\---------------------------------------------

 

Ilia weaved her way through the crowds of the trading station, keeping a close eye on her personal belongings. She had no doubt that there were numerous pickpockets and thieves running rampant throughout the decks and corridors, just waiting to catch an unaware mark. Readjusting her pack she paused for a moment, looking around at the various stalls and built-in stores set up on the mercantile deck, searching for one in particular. Squinting her eyes trying to read in the dim light, she eventually found her target.

 

Tukson's personal bar, The White Fang. The best source of information on the entire station, and the operative’s best bet of infiltrating a pirate crew.

 

Pushing through the mass of bodies she made her way to the bar. Located dead in the middle of the station, Tukson was able to watch all that happened on the deck from his position, and on all others through security cameras and screens set into the interior of the bar. As such he was unsurprised when Ilia sat down at the counter, gently placing her pack onto the floor next to her. Grunting a greeting, he placed down the glass he was cleaning and moved over to greet the other Faunus. “Welcome to The White Fang Miss, what can I get for you?”

 

“Hopefully, a drink, and definitely some information.”

 

Tukson nodded at this, humming slightly in response as he placed a small, clean glass in front of her and filled it with amber liquid. “Straight to business then. And what information might an Atlesian desire?”

 

Ilia looked surprised for a moment, before shaking her head and sipping her drink. “Not Atlesian any more. I need to get out. Looking for a crew who could help me with that.”

 

“Hmm. Well, lots of crews visit me here. Smugglers, merchants, pirates.” He paused as he wiped down the counter, looking up suspiciously at the woman before him. “Military. Better not be up to funny business, Miss. We're a peaceful port here, and we'll protect that peace.” He glanced upwards, and Ilia followed his gaze, feeling her blood run cold as she spied the hidden walkways above them, and the guards that patrolled their length.

 

Swallowing nervously, she took another sip of the drink, grimacing as the alcohol burned its way down her throat. “I promise you, no funny business. Just need out. They don't look too fondly on Faunus, and I'm tired of hiding.”

 

The man grunted again, though a small smile came to his face. “So you're looking for a Faunus-friendly crew. I think I can help out there, though whether you're taken aboard is up to them.”

 

“Thank you, Mr. Tukson, but we both know how you run this station. What's the payment?”

 

Tukson's smile grew a little wider. “You're straightforward. I like that. I grow tired of duplicity all the time. Tell you what, you're a nice girl. All it'll cost you is a story.”

 

“A...story?”

 

“That's right. Any story, any book. I don't get out much, as you can probably tell, and during my downtime I like to read. One day might open up a bookshop instead of a space station. So, you give me a book, I'll get you a crew.”

 

Ilia thought on this for a moment, then nodded, reaching down into her pack and fishing out her data-slate. Scrolling through her personal files she looked for one book in particular. “I don't have any physical books with me; I travel light. But I did download one off the system a few years back, a rather forbidden book.” She noted the way the proprietor's eyes sparkled with interest when she mentioned that. “A book about the Sages.”

 

Tukson let out a low whistle. “Well, by the Brothers that's a rare find. From what I hear the Schnee Dust Corporation isn't too fond of Sages. You got yourself a deal, send it over.” Placing his own data-slate onto the bar counter, he waited as Ilia sent the file over to him with a smile on his face. “Alright, let's see about getting you a crew huh?” He turned away from the chameleon Faunus and called out loudly. “HEY RED! Got a new hire for ya!”

 

Ilia jumped slightly at the loud proclamation, and once again followed his gaze to see who he was looking at. There she found a shorter woman making her way through the crowd, wearing her coat over her shoulders, leaving her arms out of the sleeves. Her black hair was styled into an undercut, with red streaks fading into it. She felt her heart skip a beat as the woman smiled adorably at her, waving over at Tukson and herself. Her eyes were drawn to the other woman's exposed arm and the muscles she found there, and she couldn't help her soft and quiet exclamation. “Oh fuck....she's hot.”

 

Tukson heard her, and simply smiled. “Play nice, and she'll treat you right.” Nodding to the woman as she came closer his smile grew. “Here you are, Red, fresh off the ship and looking to escape the empire. I'll let you two get introduced.

 

The woman sat down on the stool next to Ilia, silver eyes looking into grey as she spoke. “Hi there! I'm Ruby Rose.”  

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The accompanying art piece was done by [Spicy Bon](http://spicybon.tumblr.com/) over at Tumblr! Go shower them with love!  
> Also check out [My Tumblr](http://theunredeemable.tumblr.com//) where i have some commissions up for grabs


	4. The Hunger

Black scales shimmered in the red emergency lighting that flooded the hallways. The ancient entity had emerged from its hibernation in the lower deck of  _ The New Dawn _ and stalked along the dark corridors. The lack of light meant nothing to it, seeing with a sight beyond sight. It watched as the whispers of ages past played before it, the little ghosts the previous crew had left when the ship had once been fully crewed. It paid these no mind; they were intangible and incorporeal. It would gain no sustenance from them. No, the object of its hunger lay further along the ship. It could sense it.

 

It could smell it.

 

It hungered for it.

 

Razor sharp claws clicked together in excitement as a shiver ran over its elongated spine, red eyes alight with malice as it continued its path. Its prey had detected its presence and was coming towards it, but it wasn't alone. It had heard the feminine voice of the ship declare its location, and what was left of its human intelligence knew that others would be coming. But they didn't matter. They were but little snacks before the full-blown meal.

 

The creature paused, sniffing the air as something changed. It was used to being surrounded by the stale, suffocating stench of old metal and whispers of memories. But now there was something fresh. New air clinging to recently washed clothes and aftershave applied too liberally. It considered slipping past the newcomers, but a growl emerged from its throat and stomach. Its hunger was insatiable.

 

Voices drifted down the walkway in soft whispers as the creature closed in. “How did a Grimm even get aboard? I thought they were myths?”

 

A masculine voice followed shortly behind the first. “I've heard stories, about how a Grimm would hide deep in the bowels of a ship, sleeping until its hunger grew too big for it to ignore.”

 

A third, female voice chimed in. “Those are children’s stories, told to keep little ones in lin-”

 

The creatures claws dragged lightly along the wall, creating a sharp, ear-piercing, screeching sound, quickly putting the conversation to an end. The creature could taste the fear in the air. As the footsteps cautiously crept closer, it sequestered itself in a darkened alcove, closed its eyes, and waited.

 

It didn’t have to wait long before the smell of prey came closer, and started to pass by. The three figures walked right past its hiding spot, unaware of its existence. “What do you think that was?” one of the voices asked.

 

“Maybe it was this Grimm Penny’s having us chase.” 

 

“Please. There’s no such thing as Gri-” The man never got to finish his sentence as his back exploded in a bloody mess as the Grimm revealed itself. Ichor dripped from its claws and its bone-plated face stared right at the two survivors, who stood still in horror. A rumble ran through its body before escaping as a roar through its reptilian maw. 

 

The two humans turned and tried to run, and the beast thrilled in the chase, leaping forward and cutting down the closest one. The man’s screams were cut short as sharp teeth were buried into his neck with a sickening crunch. The last survivor dipped into a side corridor, praying to the Maidens as she fumbled for her communicator. 

 

“C-come in P-penny….” Her hands trembled as she crouched down, curling into a ball as she continued to hear the Grimm feast, before the slow metallic screeching started again. “I-i found the Grimm...Deck 54 A, Sub...subsection 23 F ...oh Maidens please hel-” A scream erupted from her as claws tore through the metal above her, before the scream was cut short. 

 

Static filled the air as the Grimm consumed its first meal in over a century. A voice cut through, emanating from the dropped communicator. "Fleur, this is Penny. Come in, are you safe? What's happening?" The Grimm lazily turned its attention to the device, maw stained red from more than just the lighting, almost shining as it dripped onto the walkway, and effortlessly crushed it beneath its foot.

 

Its palate whetted, it began its true hunt anew.

 

\---------------------

 

"Captain, I have the location of the Grimm, but I fear the worst. Fleur's not answering." Penny’s voice sounded uncharacteristically afraid as she reported over the communicator. Yang felt her blood run cold as she turned to look at Velvet and Neo. Both seemed equally pale, their eyes wide.

 

"Are you certain, Penny?"

 

"Yes Captain. The monster is on Deck 53A, Subsection F. At least, it was. I would suggest caution and urgency."

 

"Agreed. Keep us updated." Yang turned the communicator off, and turned on her heel as she began to race down the ship’s corridors, her companions close behind. "Velv, where's Blakey?"

 

"Looking after Weiss if she's smart. She went to check up on her before this started."

 

"Guess it's just us then. You two ready?"

She looked over her shoulder at Neo to see the smaller mute girl nodding determinedly, checking the safety on her weapon. Velvet similarly was checking over her own armaments both the pistols on her hips and the electrified gloves she wore.

 

"I’ve always wanted to punch a Grimm."

 

"Well now you get a chance. This monster's tasted blood now, so you both be careful." They slowed down as they reached an elevator, Yang punching in a code on the panel next to the metal doors. In response, they slowly slid open allowing them entry. Once the trio were inside, she again punched in a code, and the room slowly began its descent. 

 

Yang's fist clenched in subconscious rage and fear. She could almost hear her own heartbeat, thoughts racing through her head as they stood in silence. Despite knowing where the monster was roughly, they were still going in blind. She had no idea what they were about to face, and the silence was deafening. She looked to her companions, and saw similar emotions in their eyes. Closing her eyes and letting out a sigh in an attempt to steel her nerves, she began to talk to fill the empty air.

 

"My uncle used to tell me stories about the Grimm. How they feed on flesh, blood, and magic. How back when the Sages were plentiful they'd keep the monsters in check." She watched as the two looked at her in interest. "He also told me that there are lots of differences in Grimm. From barely corporeal Gheists, to the mountain-sized Wyvern."

 

"What do you think we're dealing with?"

 

"I don't know… if we're incredibly lucky, nothing larger than a Beowolf." Neo raised an eyebrow and quickly signed a question, causing Yang to smile slightly. "Silver only works in the stories, at least that's what Qrow told me. No, normal bullets will work. Just need lots of them."

 

Velvet remained silent for a moment, before holding her hand out towards Yang. "Pass me your gun for a moment Captain." Yang raised an eyebrow, before slipping it out of her holster and passing it over. Velvet nodded as she took hold of the weapon, removing the ammo from it. Yang watched as the Faunus fished for something in her pocket, pulling out a clip of ammo with a light red glow, slamming it into the gun. "Here, some fire dust rounds we liberated from the last SDC ship we raided."

 

Yang took back her weapon, examining it. Though it was pistol-sized, the punch it packed was more equivalent to a shotgun. Her sister had designed it specifically for her after her accident. She resisted the urge to rub where her arm used to be and slipped the gun back into her holster. "Well...that'll work better than silver I bet." Neo laughed silently as she reloaded her guns with the ammo Velvet had just passed her. 

 

“Just make them count. I was only able to grab a few of them."

 

"Then both of you try to aim for the head. The bone plating there is both its greatest strength and its weakness." Both of them looked at her confused. "It's tough, like armour. But if that breaks then its head is exposed and weak." 

 

Both of them nodded, holding their guns up as the room slowly ground to a halt. "Let's make this beast pay then."

 

The doors slowly slid open, and the trio stepped out into the dark labyrinth of corridors that made up the bowels of the ship. As the doors closed again, the emergency lighting kicked back on, bathing them in dim red light. Yang felt her heart freeze in fear, and heard the soft gasp and tightening of grips behind her as her eyes went wide. Across from them stood the monster.

 

Standing hunched on hind legs, it was reptilian in nature, similar to the ancient dinosaurs of Remnant that Yang had been told about as a child. The elongated head was filled with rows of sharp teeth, dripping with the still-fresh blood of its recent prey, having found another squad of hunters chasing it. Its red eyes gleamed with hunger and hatred as the four of them stood still, time freezing.

 

Then, with a flex of its claws, it roared and ran towards them. 

  
  


\---------------------

 

Emerald stayed rooted to the spot, long after the airlock had closed behind Ilia. Clutching on to her data-slate tightly, she let out a deep sigh of regret. "You….dumb….coward." She lightly smacked her head with the piece of equipment with each word, before a second sigh escaped her and she rested her head against the cold metal of the door. Images danced in her head of a smiling Ilia, laughing at a joke she had found funny, and Emerald’s frown slowly twitched into a smile as she closed her eyes to better see the memories. The way that the Faunus’s freckles would glow pink when she was embarrassed, or the way her eyes sparkled when she fell in love with something for the first time. 

 

Slowly opening her eyes, her smile once again formed into a forlorn frown as she stared at the cold, uncaring metal. Giving the airlock one final look, she turned away to begin the journey back through the behemoth of a ship, yelping in surprise as she found her captain standing there. Placing a hand over her heart, she tried to calm her breathing and offer a salute, even as a small smirk spread across Winter's features. "Are you quite alright, Miss Sustrai? Normally you are more perceptive of my arrival."

 

"Y-yes, Ma'am. Sorry, Ma'am. I was...distracted."

 

"I noticed. Walk with me." Winter turned on her heel and took are few strides forward, pausing only to allow a still startled Emerald to catch up with her. "Did Miss Amitola make it onto the station without any issues?"

 

Emerald nodded in response. "Aye, Captain."

 

"Do you believe she will be successful in her mission?

 

"Aye, Captain. Ilia is one of, if not the, most skilled operatives at your command. She's never failed an assignment yet." Emerald's voice lit up with pride as she spoke of Ilia's accomplishments, causing the sly smile to only grow on Winter's face.

 

"And did you finally admit your feelings?"

 

"Aye, Capt- wait, I mean...no! What?" Emerald sputtered in shock, looking up at the Schnee scion with embarrassment. "I have no idea what you mean, Ma'am."

 

A small chuckle escaped Winter's lips as they continued to walk, the woman ever facing forward. "You shouldn't lie to your captain, Emerald. I've known about your crush on Miss Amitola for about as long as you've both served under my command."

 

"How?"

 

"Quite easily honestly. My first hint was the way your eyes lit up when you first suggested her for the position when the previous occupant retired. After that, it was the way you always relaxed a little whenever she was present, miniscule changes in posture I'm sure neither of you would have noticed." Emerald could only listen, her embarrassment growing with each word, as Winter's sly smile grew larger. "It was evident that you were infatuated."

 

"Was I really so obvious?"

 

"Yes… and no. Your training as an operative served you well. If I weren’t used to your ways, I doubt I would have noticed."

 

"Does anyone else know?" Emerald asked with a sigh.

 

"On the ship, no."

 

"Off the ship?"

 

"Oh, my sister knows. She and I spare no details when we are able to catch up."

 

"Wonderful…" Emerald let out another sigh as she ran her hand over her face, trying to hide her embarrassment from the world.

 

"Cheer up Miss Sustrai," Emerald could hear the smirk on Winter's lips. "both of us are rooting for you." Emerald opened her mouth to reply, but a beeping from Winter’s communicator distracted them both. She watched as the Captain pushed a button hidden in the cuff of her uniform, then held her palm towards the ceiling as a miniature hologram manifested itself in her outstretched hand. “Report.” 

 

“I’m sorry for disturbing you, Ma’am, but you should probably hurry back up here.” 

 

“What is it, Saffron?” 

 

“We’ve picked up a distress beacon, from a merchant vessel.” 

 

Winter frowned, and Emerald felt a sense of trepidation flow through her as she watched the conversation. “Unless they are on our patrol route, there’s nothing we can do. You know the protocol as well as I.” 

 

“Yes, Ma’am, but… this is a special circumstance.” 

 

“How?” 

 

“Ma’am… it’s from  _ The Silent Breeze _ .” 

 


End file.
